Details for DCPete

Memory might be faulty here, but didn't aluminum bats also have durability issues especially with denting and/or cracking? Didn't the umps start using the ring to check if bats were out-of-round from denting?
Seem to remember the alloy bats denting easily in the cooler weather, especially the hi-performance ones that had thinner walls?

This is another argument for a return to the unlimited arc.
The pitcher has time to back up or move to the side and the umps no longer have to make the call or argue with the hitters about illegal high pitches.
Sure it's more challenging for the hitters, but this helps to reduce the impact of the senior bats on the overall balance of the game.
There were arguments in the past with unlimited arc as to what constituted a pitch that was too deep; with the mat the only possible ball/strike argument left would be the flat pitch call.

Basically, makes no sense at all. If the pitcher stays behind the screen, then what purpose does the mask serve?
And if the pitcher doesn't stay behind the screen, then what purpose does the screen serve?
And if the pitcher doesn't stay behind the screen, why should it be a dead ball out or even a strike if the ball hits the net?
Are they trying to protect the screen from being broken?
Whoever came up with this clearly didn't think any of this thru . . .

A plaintiff recently won a $14.6 million dollar judgment in Little League. The pitcher was hit in the chest by a batted ball & suffered permanent brain damage when his heart stopped. The plaintiffs sued the manufacturer (Louisville Slugger), the retailer (Sports Authority) & the Police Association sponsoring the game even though the bat was certified and approved for play.
All the defendants were found guilty even though parents routinely sign waivers holding these associations free from liability in the case of non-negligent injury.
Go figure . . .

Bunch of us swung a brand new Ambush (plastic wrap still on bat) this week & no one seemed to like it. Stiff & lacking any more pop than an average U-trip bat.
Maybe it takes awhile to break in but this one sure has a long way to go to approach U2s, Reeboks, etc.

GB; you might want to add a wrinkle to your project which would be how many swings the bat lasts AFTER break-in.
Don't know if that's doable but that would be the more critical factor since a bat that lasts 500 swings but takes 400 swings to break-in isn't wouldn't be a very good product in most players minds.

The 3-game guarantee is a very flawed concept that SSUSA adopted 2 or 3 years ago because it resulted in a few less total games than a 3-game round robin with a straight double elimination bracket.
Then when teams that lost their 1st 3GG game starting forfeiting their 2nd 3GG game since it was essentially meaningless, SSUSA adopted a new rule stating that a team forfeiting a game would be automatically eliminated.
Now it sounds like the 3GG format was taken to a new level of ridiculousness at the Raleigh tournament.
It's very discouraging that SSUSA chooses to adopt policies that are not in the players best interests even though the players are their paying customers.

Looks like the rest of the "equalizer" is being conveniently overlooked. It's not just the 5 runs, it's also using the lower-rated teams HR rule so when M+ plays M they get 5 Hrs instead of 10.
That's probably a bigger impact than just the 5 runs but taken together they hopefully make for a (more) competitive game.
Just saying . . .

This problem would be minimized if they just used Run Differential instead of Runs Allowed. Using Runs Allowed doesn't fairly seed teams since a team that wins both their games by a score of 10 - 9 would be seeded ahead of a team that wins both their games 20 - 10.
Have never understood why it's done this way; the math isn't that tough & Run Differential is often the next tie-breaker anyway . . .

The irony here is that if the Major + teams are broken up or otherwise restricted to reduce their dominance, they will no longer be Major + teams.
Just saying . . .
(ISSA combined Major + & Major this year but it's probably still too soon to assess the results plus they are based on the East Coast where there aren't a lot of Major + teams to begin with)

Everything a Team does on & off the field matters but Winning is always paramount.
Just check out everyone's reactions the next time your team comes from behind in the bottom of the 7th to win a tournament game; nothing else even comes close to matching that moment . . .

Miken's website says the new USA (American Flag) model has more flex in the handle than the original U2. If you use this model in cooler weather, the added flex does seem to help it outperform the U2 original.
Haven't used it enough to know if the durability is better or worse.

Only explanation is that the different brands/models of these 52/300 balls must vary quite a bit in their performance & heat resistance. The Trump Stote 52/275 that Wagon is referring to is absolutely horrible whenever it's over about 80 degrees and says right on the box not to store them in your trunk because they are HEAT SENSITIVE.
(on the flip side these balls might actually be better than the 44/375s when it's below 50 degrees and they can sail thru the cold, dense air a little better)

You might want to check the FIRST PAGE of the rule book under Article 3 of the Code of Ethics where it states that players aren't allowed to taunt or degrade another player.
Remember, this is amateur Senior softball we're talking about . . .

It would be a great improvement to the tournament experience to do away with starting games at 8am. The sun is still too low blinding the hitters or even worse the Pitchers & IFs.
The OF grass is still wet so the balls get wet & heavy increasing the likelihood of breaking yet another $200 Ultra 2.
And having to get up at 5:30 in the morning to get ready & get to the field on time can be a real problem for a lot of players & their wives, families, etc.
More often than not there are open fields & plenty of daylight left when the tournaments are done for the day around 6pm on Saturday so why not start at 9am when the sun is out of everyone's eyes & the grass has a had a chance to dry out?

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